Melbourne: The Australian Catholic Youth Festival (ACYF) drew to a close yesterday with a stirring call from Church leaders urging the nation’s young faithful to become bearers of hope and witnesses of the Holy Spirit in a troubled world. More than 6,000 young Catholics gathered at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre for the festival’s final events, culminating in a Commissioning Mass celebrated by Melbourne Archbishop Peter A. Comensoli.
Addressing the assembly, Archbishop Comensoli urged the participants to cherish and cultivate the life of the Holy Spirit within them, especially at a time when many young people struggle with anxiety, disillusionment, and a sense of not belonging.
“In a world that often trades in distrust, anxiety, and the fear of not fitting in, the Spirit has been growing in you,” he said. “Mercy instead of refusal, listening instead of shouting, serving instead of influencing.”
The concluding day of ACYF adopted a more contemplative tone compared with earlier sessions filled with bustling workshops, creative activities, and the popular “Bishops’ X-Changes” forums where young participants could speak directly with Church leaders about faith, culture, and modern challenges.
The morning began with Eucharistic adoration, setting a reflective pace. Bishop Mark Edwards OMI of Wagga Wagga encouraged the young pilgrims to welcome Christ more deeply into their hearts.
“Give Him your whole heart,” Bishop Edwards told them. “Let Him rearrange the furniture of your soul. That’s how the great adventure of giving your life to God begins.”
As the Mass concluded, Sydney Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP took the stage with an enthusiastic invitation: all young Catholics are welcome to Sydney for the 2028 Australian Catholic Youth Festival, a celebration that will coincide with the International Eucharistic Congress.
Archbishop Fisher shared a bold vision for the gathering, prompting cheers from the crowd. “Look around you there are 6,000 of you here. Now imagine this number multiplied by 10… and then by 10 again,” he said, envisioning up to 600,000 young pilgrims joining the event.
He urged the youth to deepen their Eucharistic devotion, remain rooted in their parish communities, join local pilgrimages and catechetical initiatives, and spiritually prepare for what he described as a historic moment for the Church in Australia.
As the participants dispersed, the message from ACYF’s final day was clear: the young Church is being called to go forth as “pilgrims of hope,” carrying the transforming fire of the Holy Spirit into their families, communities, and the wider world.